AN ELDERLY woman was today still fighting for life after a bizarre accident which happened as she showed off her new car.

AN ELDERLY woman was today still fighting for life after a bizarre accident which happened as she showed off her new car.

The woman, who is believed to be in her 80s, was badly injured after getting pulled away by her new car in Holcombe Crescent, off Bridgewater Road on the Chantry estate.

A neighbour who knows the injured woman said: “She came reversing out of the garage to show us her new car. She must have left the handbrake off and when she got out the car started rolling down the hill.

“I think she tried to stop the car by putting her foot on the brake but might have accelerated by accident. She came all the way down the hill at an amazing speed. It's quite a slope.”

Another neighbour, Jackie Scannell, was looking after her grandchildren when she saw the woman slumped in the road in Holcombe Crescent.

The 52-year-old carer said: “I looked out of the window and saw this lady in the road. I ran next door to drop off my grandchildren, I put on my surgical gloves and ran outside.

“I was going to put her in the recovery position, but she was in too much pain. She was conscious but was rolling her eyes. It was not very pleasant.

“I just made her comfortable and looked after her until the paramedics arrived. Then I helped her on to a spinal board. I am quite concerned that it could be very serious.”

As reported in later editions of the Star, and on our website at www.eveningstar.co.uk, the victim is thought to have suffered life-changing injuries in the accident.

An ambulance took the woman to Ipswich Hospital.

Police closed part of the road to traffic while accident investigation officers carried out a detailed examination of the scene.

A spokesman for the police said the woman's next of kin had been informed about the accident, but her name could not be released at this stage.

Do you know the victim or anything about the accident? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.